Top Campania white wines: Fiano & Greco

Away from the dazzling Amalfi coast, the archaeological hotspots of Pompeii, Herculaneum and Paestum, and the bright lights of Naples, visitors can find a quieter Campania.

Truffles, chestnut and olive trees and, of course, vines grow in a spectacular landscape of hills and mountains which contrasts with the coastal plain.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for 20 top Campania white wines worth seeking out

The most important among an assortment of largely indigenous white grape varieties are undeniably Fiano and Greco. Found in wines throughout the region, as well as beyond Campania’s borders, these reach their apogee in the DOCGs of Fiano di Avellino and Greco di Tufo, widely considered to be two of Italy’s finest white wine denominations.

Established as DOCs in 1978 and 1970 respectively, they were both recognised as DOCGs in 2003.

Located in Irpinia in the province of Avellino, about an hour’s drive northeast from Naples, the vineyards of predominantly clayey-calcareous soils with volcanic, sand and mineral deposits range in altitude from 250m to about 650m, while the surrounding mountains reach to 1,577m. This gives the grapes grown here an advantage in the form of large diurnal temperature variations (up to 20°C cooler at night in some locations), allowing for full ripening but preserving aromatics and acidity, aided by cool winds blowing in from the Tyrrhenian sea which also reduce disease pressure in the vineyards.

Complementary styles

Fiano di Avellino

Fiano di Avellino is the more accessible of the two wines; its elegant floral, mineral character is filled out with apple, pear and hazelnuts and vibrant acidity.

Drink as a vino da meditazione or pair with food: it’s remarkably versatile, but goes especially well with local specialities such as black truffle (Tartufo Nero di Bagnoli Irpino) shaved over egg pasta, or the world-famous pizza Napoletana topped with local San Marzano tomatoes and DOP Mozzarella di Bufala Campana.

Greco di Tufo

Greco di Tufo can be described as a ‘white wine with a red soul’, such is its weighty, sapid and often viscous character accompanied by rich and exotic scents. Its acidity is markedly higher than even Fiano di Avellino, and its phenolic structure is typically complemented by skin contact and lees ageing during production.

So while it’s possible to enjoy Greco di Tufo in its youth, it’s often wiser to wait at least a couple of years for it to gain some weight and balance. Alternatively, well-matched cuisine can tame young Greco di Tufo: try it with spaghetti al baccalà, a local tomato-based pasta dish with capers and salt cod, or with seared tongue of beef with fennel.

Annual production from Greco di Tufo’s eight permitted villages (636ha) was 3.56m bottles in 2020, while Fiano di Avellino’s 26 permitted villages (419ha) produced 2.06m bottles (source: Consorzio Tutela dei Vini d’Irpinia). Commonly matured on the lees in stainless steel tanks before additional time in bottle, a small proportion are matured in oak barrels and even amphorae.

Riserva

Both DOCGs have a Riserva category and these are well worth seeking out in many cases, as they tend to be made from a winery’s top plots with additional ageing (minimum of 12 months). Greco’s high acidity also makes it ideal for sparkling wine production, and the Greco di Tufo DOCG allows for spumante and spumante Riserva metodo classico variants.

See notes and scores for 20 top Campania white wines

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